There are many applications involving gravity feed or forced pumping of fluids that require a system of filtration or screening prior to delivering the fluid to a point of use or to a pumping means. Canister or cartridge filters are widely used where a high degree of filtration is required. These filters are often replaced periodically to ensure continuous effective operation. For initial screening of such fluids, a course mesh or perforated canister is often fitted to the inlet or pipe. Such a screen provides a fixed surface area of screening with a predetermined perforated cross section depending on the particular system requirements. It is therefore necessary to install the correct filter for each individual use.
The present invention seeks to provide a modular filter screen system that is both adjustable in surface area and screening aperture so that it can be used in a wide variety of applications, and can also be easily dissembled for cleaning, maintenance or calibration purposes.